How the Right Church Vision Turned a Disaster into an Opportunity

How the Right Church Vision Turned a Disaster into an Opportunity

We have been sharing some real-life examples of churches that have used their vision to drive the construction or renovation of their church building.

Often such transformations occur as a natural reaction to changes in the community or ministry. But as you will soon see, they can also be in response to catastrophic events—with uplifting results.

Catalyst for Change: Realizing a New Church Vision

Sometimes disaster leads to opportunity. This was the case for First Church of the Nazarene in Oskaloosa, Iowa. After their church building was destroyed by a fire in 2006, church members sought to recover from their sudden and catastrophic loss.

That’s when they realized something: God had given them a catalyst for change. They had an opportunity to take a good strong look at their various ministries and discern what the church could do differently. Through this process, church leaders began developing a new vision for their ministry in the community.

First Church of the Nazarene Becomes Gateway Church of the Nazarene

During this time, they also realized and accepted the fact that the neighborhood around the church had changed. They began talking about whether they should rebuild on the old site or look elsewhere for a location that better aligned with their new, emerging church vision. As a result, they eventually decided to move to a different part of town.

Starting from scratch, they were able to develop a church design that fit their newly focused vision. With that design in mind, they then constructed a new church building that specifically met those newfound needs. Like a phoenix from the ashes, First Church of the Nazarene became reborn across town as Gateway Church of the Nazarene.

A Church Design Focused by Vision

As you can see, Gateway wanted a focal point for their church building. Their new design makes the entrance obvious—and the fact that it’s a church is clear from the start.

Once you walk inside, the bright, airy foyer clearly conveys that gathering for conversation and developing relationships is a high priority of this church. Moreover, the restrooms are clean and elegant, making for good first impressions.

You can also see that the new design includes a nice café and seating area to encourage conversation. Through the glass walls behind the café there is an indoor play area that serves multiple purposes, giving children a place to safely play while adults get to know each other over coffee.

Such a church design sends the message that families with children are a priority. What’s more, the café and playground setup allow the church to rent the space to families in the community for children’s birthday parties. By bringing new families into the building this way, Gateway is able to reinforce its vision of ministering to couples with young children.

Change, Like Knowledge, Is Good

While not every church has the opportunity to start from scratch, it’s worth considering when looking at revising your church vision. Just as neighborhoods change over time, so do churches and their ministries.

That’s another reason we suggest you visit our home page to sign up for one or more of our free i3 webinars. After all, change happens in the church design and building industry, too and these webinars offer the perfect opportunity to stay on top of the latest trends and information.